Weighing balance



July 31, 1962 TOSHIO CHYO WEIGHING BALANCE Filed May 21, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 I I5 lb -12 //3 VENTOR.

July 31, 1962 TOSHIO CHYO 3,047,083

WEIGHING BALANCE Filed May 21, 1958 5 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.

July 31, 1962 TOSHIO CHYO 3,047,083

WEIGHING BALANCE Filed May 21, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mag FIG: 6

IN V EN TOR.

: *WEIGHING BALANCE' Nishinotoindori, Kamigyoku, Kyoto, Japan Filed May 21, 1958, Ser.- No. 736,844

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 177 150)t I This invention relates to a weighing balance in which counter-weights are automatically deposited on the scale in accordance with the weight of a substance to be i h Y r T Usual weighing balances possess threetknife edges: one at'the center pivot of the balance beam and tone at each 'end of the beam where'the respective scales are hung. 'When the balance is not in use these three knife edges are detached from the respective receiving surface or the like to beist-ored in a disengaged position. In being used for Iweighingandpafter the substance to be weighed is placed ion a pan, the handle for disengaging the beam is turned to place theseknife edges in contact with thei'rrrespective receiving members, so that the discrepancy of weight between the substance to be weighed and the counter-weights 1 'may be-determined by inclination of the beam under the condition in which the beam is free to' oscillate.

1 'invention has among its objects 'means todeposit automatically on the iscale counter-weights having approximately the same weight as that of the substance being Weighed, this being accomplished, before the beam is iloaded and while the balance is in its resting state. According to'this invention rapid weighing is rendered possible because the time of operation of the apparatus is $3 5 atent;

extremely shortened. In additionto' this, the knife edges may be prevented from wearing out and sensitivity and accuracy may be maintained fora long time In order to attain the above object, jthe weighing ibal: ance according to this invention is provided with an ele- "ment having electric resistance or electric capacity which variestas a rfunctionof' stress produced by loading, and "also-includes means for producing mechanical energy fac: cording-tofthe electric resistance or electric capacityjot saidelernent and meansifo-r. depositing ontheiscale counterfweights related'to and deposited by. said rnechanical I Y- 17 ,7 1 a Qthe o jec of t s enti n w app a a r m th following specification and the novel features 'will' be' par;- ticularly pointed'out in theclaims atthe end thereof. i weighing balance according to invention is illustrated by wayjof example in the accompanying drawings, in whic H j. FLGURE l isa front View of a weighinglbalancefaccording tothis'inventi'ony I -IEIQUREZ shows a resistance wire a s an example of the "arrangement by whic h the electric resistance varies acw dins to: h ppl d' e i n wh ch isused ith an: P ra sa w in t tth i e t ri i v FI URE 3 sh s: ano exe ry ng m nt in which the electric resistance tvaries" according to thefap: 7

plied stress;

FIGURE irshowsanjexernplaryarrangementfin which theelectric capacity varies according to the'appliedstress and,'which may housed in the apparatus according to the i v n i i E g. i

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatical showing of an app ara: tus for producing mechanical "energy in accordance with the electric resistance of the ararng'ement shown in FIG URE2;and 7 FIGURE 6 is a perspective view'of an apparatus for loading thescale with counter-weights in accordance with the mechanical energy which isVproduced-by the apparatus as shown-in FIGUR*E;5. t yrr '3 Referring to the drawings, a-knife-edgeiLatthetcenter of the weighing beam 2 is supported by. a receiving sur- I 7,

c 3,047,083 t I Patented July 31. 1962 Each knife edge 3, 5, 61's in contact with or separates from its own receiving member by the vertical shifting of an arresting shaft 9which passes through the pillar 4. 10 is-a cam plate for imparting vertical shifting to the arresting shaft '9, 11 is a handle shaft for rotatingith'e cam plate 10 and-12. is a knob forthef-handle shaft 11. .Thefhandle shaft 11 hastalso two other cam plates 13, 14, which-en; able thetpan 7 and the scaling member 8 to be respectively supported by vertically displaceable arrester's 15, 16'. I According to this invention, the weighing pan 7 is supported by a holding member, a part of which is formed with. an element'having electrical resistance. The electric resistance'of the. elementv varies vin accordance with the weight oftthezweighing'material. 5 In FIGURE l'isshown a suspender'll as the holding memberlof the weighing pan 7. t. The suspender V17 islp'rovided with an electrical resistive element 18 connected toone end of thesu sQ- pendrf As for the substance of resistance .18 anymzn terial, as long. as it produces thetabovernentioned effect, may be usedlt In FIGURES v1, 2,.the resistance element consists of a; U -shaped flexible plate 19 between botht ends of whichiis inserted and mounted a resistance plate 20 with azigz ag shaped resistance wire 21. 'A resistance wire such as one used'inaresistancewire strain meter is available for thispurpose In FIGURE 3 a tube of carbon grains 22 is mounted in place of the resistance plate 20 of FIGURE 2 toserve as the resistance element. a 7 Accordingto this invention, an element having electric capacity which-varies according to the weight of the weighs ing rniaterialimay also be used instead of the above stated electrical resistance elements #18. FIGURE 4 shows a U-shaped flexible pl-atef19t'between. both ends of which a condenser23tis inserted as an example off-this arrange.- Infint Y v'- 7. ,6 I? The operation of the apparatussaccordingto this invention is as "follows: At the outset, theibalance'bearn z, the pant7i'for receiving the: substance to be weighed and the scale memberIStforthecountenweights are in-their rest-r ing positions respectively. In this statea material tokbe :weighed is placedcn the tweighingrpanfl. ,The handle shaft -1'1-iistthen turned to separate the pan 7 and-the scale member 8 from the respective arrestors 15, =16inorderto release them, while'the balance beam z is 'still supported on the. arresting shaft 9, the handle 11 having not yet been turnedlthrough a sufliciently large angle The tensile forceapplied tothe Suspender 17 by the weight of thematerial on the part7 .producesrtensile stress in theresistance element 18 or; a change in the charge on capacitive ele ment 2311f a fixed volt-age is imposed across both ends of theresistance 18, there is produced an electric currentTpro-i portionate to the weight cinemas-a1 on the pan7. be-I cause the electric resistance of element 18'v aries accord; 'ingito the weight of the weighing material. In theexam: ples of FlGURESl, 3 thefelectric resistance .variestrelative to the tensile stress or strainiin the resistance wire 2-1 or carbon grains 22, while in theexample ot FIGURE 4 the'telect'ric' capacity varies relative t olthe tensile'strain in the .condenserlfi, this resulting from :the variation'of the distancerbtween the two metal plates of the condenser 23. Intthelatter case there may also be obtainedl an electric currentrelated to the weightof the-weighing-material. f f According to the presentinventiomby producing elec; tric current of an amount according to the weight of the load, counter-Weights .counter-poising roughly the weigh-v ing 'materialfare automatically placed onto T'the. weight scales: FIGURE 5 illustrates an apparatusr-for realizing the above effectbyiway of example. 1 1 ,5 I l At the same time "as the weighing pan ".7 is released from its rest position by turning the handle shaft 11, the switch 24 is turned on to apply an A.C. voltage to the resistance 18. Though not shown in figures, the switch 24 is connected to the handle shaft 11 so as to be turned on or off by its turning. The current produced thereafter is inversely proportional tothe electric resistance of the element 18, which resistance varies relative to the Weight of load as described before. The current is amplified by 'an amplifier 25 and transferred to an apparatus for generating torque so as to rotate its shaft 26. The rotating shaft 26 is provided with a rotary arm 27. Accordingly, the rotary angle of the arm 27 is proportionate. to the electric current intensity produced. The arm 27 serves as a contact-maker for a number of contact points 28, which are arranged in order in a circle around the rotating shaft 26. Each time the contact of rotary arm 27 touches one of the contact points 28, a circuit 29 comprising the contact points 28, a relay 39, an electro-mag net 31 and the rotary arm 27 is closed, and thereby an armature (an iron piece) 32 is attracted to the electromagnet 31. As soon as the arm 27 moves off a contact point 28, the armature 32 returns to its original position by the force of a spring 33. When the armature '32 reciprocates one stroke, a ratchet 34, which is provided at such a position as to engage with the pawl 35 of the armature rod 36 during the attracting stroke of the armamm 32, moves one ratchet angle. The ratchet wheel 34 is constructed as an irreversible mechanism. The rotary angle of the ratchet wheel 34, therefore, is in proportion to the number of times the armature reciprocates, it is thus related to the rotary angle of the arm 27, and consequently, to the weight of the substance to be weighed. 37 is a switch for the circuit 29, which is closed in operation.

The rotary shaft 38 of the ratchet wheel 34 is connected to the weight manipulating handle shaft. The shaft 38 itself may also be used as the manipulating shaft. According to this invention, there is thus provided an apparatus for placing on the scale counter-weights having a weight related to the turning angle of the weight manipulating shaft this placing of weights being accomplished .by the turning of the manipulating shaft. As for the apparatus for manipulating counter-weights, any one of well-known mechanisms may be used. FIGURE 6 illustrates means for manipulating counter-weights by way of example, which is one of already-known mech- 'anisms.

4 As already stated before, the weight manipulating shaft 50 is connected to the rotation shaft 38 of the ratchet wheel 34. The weight manipulating shaft 50 is, therefore, automatically turned by the effect as described counterpoising the weight of the weighing material as stated above, the handle shaft 11 is turned to release the arresting shaft 9 by the rotation of arresting cam 10, until the balance beam 2 is released completely from resting, each knife edge 1, 5, 6 being in contact with its own receiving surface or the like. In this instance 'vibration of the beam 2 is not so large because approximately the same weight is loaded at the both ends of the beam Thereafter, precise weighing is performed by measuring the angle of inclination of the balance beam 2 which is caused by the small difference of weight between the weighing material and counterweights. The optical magnifying system may preferably be used for measure of the angle of inclination. 54 inFIGURE 1 is an optical scale which is provided at one end of the beam 2.

It will be easily understood from the above descriptions that the present invention provides the great advantages of extreme shortness of weighing time and mitigation of deterioration in precision which is caused by wear of knife edges or by distortion of the balance beam resulting from long weighing operations.

This invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific combination and improvements described, but departure may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. In weighing balance apparatus, the combination with a balance beam, and first and second scales for receiving the substance to be weighed and for counterweights respectively, of an electric sensing device responsive to the weight of said substance, said sensing device including a strain gage operatively associated with said first scale and having an electric parameter which The scale member 8 for countenweights consists of two scale bars 39, 40, each of which is provided with several V-shaped dents 41, 42 for the respective ring weights 43, 44. Each ring weight 43 is hung by a hook 45, which is supported by its own manipulating lever 46. Each manipulating lever 46 at one end is pivoted on a single shaft 47 so as to turn around the shaft 47. These manipulating levers 46 are provided at their substantially middle point with respective pins 48, which are always in contact with respective earns 49. These cams 49 are mounted on a single shaft 50. This shaft 50 is the weight manipulating shaft. 51 is the knob of the manipulating shaft '50.

When the manipulating shaft 50 is turned, some of manipulating levers 46' move upward to disengage the ring weights 43 from the scale bar 39 while others move downward to deposit their ring weights 43 on the scale bar 39, this being accomplished by the operation of cams 49. The number of the ring, weights which are deposited on the scale 39 depends upon the angle of the manipulating shaft 50 since the several cams 49 have different phases and forms with respect to each other. The same mechanism as stated above is also applied to the lower scale. 52 and 53in FIGURE 1 show respectively hooks for the ring weights 44 for the lower scale 40 and their own manipulating levers. The manipulating shaft (not shown in FIGURES) for the lower scale weights is coning so as to turn at the same time.

is responsive to said weight of said substance during the condition when said balance beam. is held at rest, means for holding and releasing said balance beam, drive means responsive to changes in said electrical parameter and means operative to cause the output of said drive means to deposit counter-weights roughly equal to the weight of said substance on said second scale before the balance beam is released from its rest position.

2. Weighing balance apparatus according to claim 1,

' in which the strain gage comprises a U-shaped flexible plate with a resistance element between its ends, the resistance element being provided with a resistance wire.

3. A weighing balance according to claim 1 in which said sensing device includes a cylinder containing carbon grains and said parameter is the resistance of said grains.

4. In weighing balance apparatus, the combination with a balance beam and first and second scales for receiving the substance to be weighed and for counterweights respectively, of an electric sensing device responsive to the weight of said substance, said sensing device including a variable capacitor operatively associated with said first scale and having a capacity which is responsive to said weight of said substance during the condition when said balance beam is held at rest, means for holding and releasing said balance beam drive means responsive to changes in said capacity and means operative to cause the output of said drive means to deposit counter-weights roughly equal to the weight of said substance on said second scale before the balance beam is released from its rest position.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent 2,766,981 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2812172 313,468 Becker Mar. 10, 1885 2,377,869 Elliott June 12, 1945 5 457 295 2,419,061 Emery Apr. 15, 1947 99, 2,467,752 Howe Apr. 19, 1949 1,004,822

6 Lauler Oct. 16, 1956 Whitcroft Nov. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 25, 1936 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1953 Germany Mar. 21, 1957 

